Ocean Noise Pollution

In the marine environment, acoustics is of paramount importance. However, the world’s oceans are getting louder and louder and the ocean noise pollution severely impacts marine life. In certain marine areas, the ocean noise level has doubled every ten years over the last sixty years.

The increased ship traffic generates a heightened dense acoustic fog that distorts the perception instincts of marine life. Military sonars used to locate submarines are a particular danger as their sound waves can be heard within an underwater radius of about 3’000 kilometers. Also offshore oil platforms and the use of air guns in seismic oil and gas explorations add to a deafening noise.

The most noticeable consequence of ocean noise pollution is the stranding of whales and other marine mammals. Strandings have been observed to be particularly frequent after naval sonar maneuver. These sonar systems can be as loud as a rocket launch (up to 240 decibels). Extreme sound events like these inflict vascular damage in the brain, lungs and other organs. It can also be the case that animals panic and surface far too fast. Thereby nitrogen bubbles in the blood lead to cases of the bends and potentially deadly embolism.

As is the case for humans, marine animals are also susceptible to hearing damage as a result of extremely loud sounds. For many marine creatures, their hearing is a vital way to communicate, navigate, hunt prey, sense danger and find a partner. Hearing damage is not the only physical mark that ocean noise pollution can leave though. The shoaling structure of fish can be sent into chaos, impaired growth has been observed in shrimp and even cell changes have been detected in lobsters.

Ocean noise pollution leads to marine animals fleeing their habitats, never to return. Some are directly induced to flee while others are compelled to as their prey have left. Ocean noise pollution has a disruptive impact in mating and suckling the young with some serious consequences in cases when species are already under threat for other reasons.

Ocean noise has a negative effect on at least 55 marine species. Yet, binding rules and limitations for noise-generating technologies at sea are still missing.